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A Statement of Trans-Inclusive Feminism and Womanism

We are proud to present a collective statement that is, to our knowledge (and we would love to be wrong about this) the first of its kind. In this post you’ll find a statement of feminist solidarity with trans* rights, signed by feminists/womanists from all over the world. It is currently signed by 790 individuals and 60 organizations from 41 countries.

Thank you so much, everybody, for your good wishes! The response has been overwhelmingly positive, we’re glad to say! Anybody who wishes to sign can contact us at feministsfightingtransphobia1@gmail.com–we’d love to hear from you!

Cait

As you are a well-known TERF, it is hard to believe that you are asking in good faith. Violent, eliminationist, and threatening language regarding trans women is easy to find, unfortunately, on radfem websites (and in the canonical works of anti-trans radical feminism), and we won’t be reproducing it here out of respect for the trans women who would have to see it. By outing and doxing trans women and men, TERFs at best show a cavalier disregard for their safety, and at worst are perfectly happy to use violence toward trans people as an implicit threat. In other words, when you out someone and thus substantially raise their risk of being attacked, your hands are not clean. TERFs who out trans people are making use of the larger culture’s transphobic violence, and all TERFS substantially contribute to the general culture of transphobia that encourages and excuses such violence.

@Firewomon, I have been witness to plenty of evidence of this violence. From posting personal details of trans* people, to stealing photos from forums (sometimes password protected spaces which were supposedly safe for the people posting there) to advocating the kind of spaces (such as women shelters rejecting trans*, genderqueer or non binary people) that can (and sadly often do) result in death. All of them (and many more instances that would be too long and unnecessary to list) support the statement that certain kinds of feminisms and feminists have both advocated violence and engaged in violent behavior.

Also, asking for “evidence” from marginalized groups to prove that their oppression is real is even more violence to add to this shitpile of awfulness. You might not want to admit it but with this very comment, you have made your contribution to it.

Parris McBride

I am a feminist cis woman of no particular importance, but I would add my name and my support to this statement. As someone who once had Firestone and Piercy virtually memorized while I struggled in pink collar jobs and endured gross harassment in many workplaces I am greatly disheartened that there is so much dissension and anger focused on who is a ‘real’ woman when there are so many issues we all need to stand against, so much work to be done to change the cultures of oppression and hatred. I will strive to be more aware and supportive of Trans and Gender issues and welcome as friends all who want to do nothing more than be accepted as who they truly are and have the same rights and acceptance we cis women and men do in our every day lives.

Belittling and humiliating people online is physical abuse. Constant mockery of our bodies, ridiculing us in a way that dehumanizes us is physical abuse. Flagging trans women’s OK Cupid profiles as scammers is abuse. Contacting the doctors of a trans woman to try and intervene in her medical care is abuse. Dropping into the #girlslikeus to tell us oh, you are all still men is abuse. This is just a small sample of what comes from your community.

And the middle finger to the person who coined “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me”.

As the moderator, I need to say a few things, and the first of them are apologies.

1) I would like to apologize to anybody who saw firewomon’s second comment before it was redacted. Our policy has always been that all comments go into moderation until they are manually approved by one of the moderators. I–and let me make this clear, just me, not any other moderator–either hit the wrong button on the set-up software, or got distracted and thought I had set it up properly when I hadn’t, and so firewomon’s second comment went through immediately. I am so, so sorry to anybody who was hurt.

2) I allowed firewomon’s first comment through because while I knew she was not asking in good faith, I thought others who were not TERFs might have the same question, so I thought it was worth addressing. I am sorry for that as well, now. I didn’t think far enough ahead to realize that she would see that as an opening.

3) Thank you to the person(s) who pointed out what I had done wrong. That allowed me to correct what I could and apologize for I couldn’t fix.

From here on, I’m speaking for the moderators in general.

Neither of these two things will happen again.

This blog and its comment sections are not places where trans people–particularly trans women who are so often the particular targets of TERFs’ venom–have to justify their existence, prove their legitimacy, or watch their humanity be put up for debate. There are plenty of places for that. This blog isn’t one of them. This blog is a place where trans people can come to find feminist support and solidarity. If that isn’t a project you want to be part of, you need not comment here. Easy. Personally, as moderator, I don’t want to wade through any whining about “silencing women,” either. Plenty of women are making their voices heard here. I haven’t done the numbers on the latest signatories yet, but I strongly suspect that we’re up around 250 at this point, mostly women.

So. We’re not here to debate TERFs; we know what they think and we disagree in the strongest possible terms. We’re not here to debate niceties of word-choice. We’re here to show all trans* people that feminism can be a home for them. Period.

Thank you for writing this, I have witnessed the significant effects of trans* exclusion to my trans* women friends for a long time now, and a year ago I decided to act, setting up the facebook page lesbians and feminists against transphobia (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lesbians-and-Feminists-Against-Transphobia/342749112475402) and my own blog (http://feministchallengingtransphobia.wordpress.com/). Since doing this I have benefited in learning about myself and gaining a deeper understanding of gender and feminism. Trans* inclusion isn’t just about the safety of a marginilised group of people, although it definitely is about that, it’s also about not cutting off a huge part of our own story because we don’t want to “go there”. Trans* exclusion impoverishes all of us.

Bettygudrun

Fully support this. I want to be part of a movement that values all women, trans* or otherwise, whatever their age, race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity or occupation. Elizabeth Stirling – Scotland.

Powerful and lucid statement. If feminism does not criticize and disrupt rigid gender identities (and the power structures that produce them), it merely reiterates oppression. This is a marvelous statement in favor of a more inclusive and empowering feminism. My wholehearted support goes to transgender people.

I would like my artist name to be included please, Singing Bird Artist, eco and fibre artist, blogger, permaculture activist.
I would like to add that when I, as a General Committee member, supported the admission of women with a transgendered history to Nottingham Women’s Centre (UK), I suffered a lot of verbal abuse, was shunned and made unwelcome by the transphobic (not all, thankfully) lesbians. A violent lesbian (whose partner I had helped leave to a place of safety) was welcome in the Lesbian Centre; I was not. I was made to feel physically unsafe in my own home, was emergency homeless and re-housed in one of the worst years of my life. I was already agoraphobic, so it was terrifying. The levels of denial were incredible then, in 1996/7; it shocks me that such bigotry is still unchallenged within their circles. A piece written against access for the Centre Newsletter had to be rejected for racism and disablism, and it struck me that publishing it would have been a very powerful statement of how unexamined these women’s politics were.

There have always been waves of feminism, even before the suffragettes and suffragists, all of them have had to be challenged to be more inclusive. Sojourner Truth in December 1851 called it how she saw it, and had her message of inclusiveness been taken to heart then, womanism would be where we would all take our places.
We have always needed to move forward together – as a permaculture activist, I feel very strongly that our message must always be clear that it is now humans against inanimate systems…
Apologies for such a long comment, but it feels important to bear witness to the breadth of prejudice in transphobic circles and how utterly blind they were to their own prejudices, and perhaps finally to say in a public space what I was suffering, while staying firm on the right to access. I am so pleased that there is now an opportunity to be positive!

victoria

blackspaceblog

As a trans woman, where do I sign?
Speaking from my own experience, being trans is is a medical, bio-chemical situation.
It has nothing to do with choice or co-opting woman’s space.
I am female because transitioning has resulted in the legitimate cure of a chronic depression that began at puberty.
Far too many people don’t do the math.
If depression is an illness, then for many to us transition is a cure that results in a normal life.
The anti-trans feminists just don’t get it.

sara ritchey

Signed. I identify as genderqueer myself (on the trans*masculine spectrum), and I’m utterly grossed out by people questioning whether someone is woman enough to be fought for by feminists. That goes for bodies AND gender identity. Sexism already has us destroying ourselves and each other in the vain pursuit of caricatures of gender perfection. We shouldn’t be doing that ourselves.

Thank you for this letter. I am tired of living in fear and seeing my sisters suffering in silence. The time has come for us to stand our ground and I am hopeful that this letter finds the right people.

Ruby W

I transitioned a number of years ago and used to be heavily into activism and education. I vividly remember being protested and screamed at while on a stage by gender studies *faculty* at a major university.

The existance of TERFs is not just academic and they are not confined to corners of the net. I gave up on big-F Feminism then, 15+ years ago, because I was tired of tilting at windmills – it was too damaging and hurt too much to have to justify myself everywhere I went. I did what I did in my transition for *myself*, to solve a personal crisis, not as a political statement.

I find the support here immensely heartening and evidence that maybe things have finally shifted enough for me to feel that there is a home for me in feminism again. I feel cautious – once burned, twice shy, but hopeful.

Steve

HIV+ activist and occasional columnist and writer, speaking from a BDSM perspective. No-one has the right to define me, which means I have no right to define anyone else. Proud to stand in support of my trans* brothers and sisters.

As a woman of transsexual experience, I have been uplifted and encouraged by this group, and it has strengthened and inspired me to gently and winsomely stand for other women and oppressed people, as well as externally validating my own legitimacy as a woman.

Blessings & Joy with Gratitude!!

Renée

Amy Cote

Please add my signature. Thank you. I’ve just learned in the recent past about “TERFS”. It’s very sad this group exists. It seems like every group there is has people pushing unfair blanket statements, stereotypes, etc., about it. I’m an activist for the surviving family members and friends of murder victims (especially those who are “interfamily”-who have had a family member and/or friend murdered by another family member and/or friend) and for women who purposely don’t charge for sex (I call us “sex angels”, “wild women”, etc.) and care about the sexual needs of the poor. Signed-Laura Holloway-Ross

Thank you so much. I have learned, and keep learning, a LOT from my trans* colleagues in social justice activism, and I look forward to learning more and helping to amplify trans* voices so that we can build a more peaceful and accepting world. I owe it to the trans* activists who have already done so much to bring equality and equity to the world for all of us.

Denise Rose

I am 61 years old. I identify as a feminist. In my young years, I looked at my cervix, joined a women’s consciousness raising group, and participated in Chicago Women Against Rape as a public speaker. I fell in love with the work of singer and activist Holly Near. Throughout my life I have made a conscious effort to educate myself and others about the myriad of feminist issues that need resolution. I However, I did not stop there. I have educated myself and others about racial inequality and all the public policies needed to resolve centuries of racial injustice. And I have educated myself and others about LGBT discrimination and actively work to advocate for LGBT human rights and fairness. Some of my work is through PFLAG. All in all, I am a social justice advocate. Therefore, I am distressed to learn there are women who identify themselves as feminist and simultaneously want to deny transwomen participation in feminist space and advocacy. We need to be inclusive toward willing hearts and minds. There is still so much work to do.

Devina Lister (researcher, feminist)

anywavewilldo

Signed with love and solidarity. The theoretical parts of the statement do not always match my understanding of sex/gender but I think it is important that feminists from any wave acknowledge our common commitment to trans inclusion in all areas of life, and particularly in our feminist praxis.

Julia Campbell

Jessica

Firewoman is invited to explore the sordid history of Vancouver Rape Relief’s persecution of Kimberly Nixon, whom they forced into an incredibly wasteful series of Court Cases. She is also invited to contemplate the years of abuse Julie Bindel has heaped upon trans women from her unassailable pulpit at the Guardian newspaper in the UK. But she very likely knows all about these any many more such cases, and in fact celebrates them.

I find it incomprehensible how TERFs can manage to reconcile their beliefs with the fundamental tenet of Feminism which is that peoples’ bodies do not define them. If their bodies do not define them, then how dare they attempt to use my body to define me? Double standard much?

Lex Larson

John K. Holmes

I support this whole heartedly.
I have been with Trans friends of both genders and witnessed first hand exactly what you are talking about here.
From a CIS male who is doing what he can to advance inclusive Feminism.
I am resharing this on my G+ stream.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. 😀
Sincerely,
John k. Holmes

I would like to add my name too. We are as we are, created and loved in all our unique beauty by God who loves us unconditionally. I know as a Christian feminist that that is probably not how most people experience either Christianity or feminism but it should be. It is good and brave to stand up and make this statement and I applaud it and those who produced it and all who support it.

I am a member of a church whose LGBTQ group is about equally L, G and T and is run by ourselves. Our minister is a strongly feminist cis-woman who has been very supportive to me personally and to the other T members. (That’s MtF and FtM.) There are such groups and I give thanks for them. Thank you also for this work. We are raising awareness but there is still a long way to go.

Marie Phillips

Sign me up… Daisy Deadhead. I am a blogger, activist and talk radio host on WOLI radio (AM and FM) here in South Carolina.

Good luck, yall… its getting ugly out there. The good news about South Carolina being “backward” is that even here in the fundamentalist upstate, more trans folks are now coming out and there also seems to be more acceptance. This nasty backlash won’t fully “reach” us for some time yet… and many of us will be ready for it in advance.

I very much support this statement, and have been trying to promote it on Twitter, and elsewhere, as much as possible. I’ve thought of myself as a feminist since my mother started subscribing to Ms. Magazine when it first came out, when I was in my early teens, and I know that this is the kind of feminism that she would have supported too.

Frann Michel

[but as Wendy Chapkis notes, it’s not a choice between people and theory–“feminist theories that fail to recognize the lived experiences and revolutionary potential of gender diversity are willfully inadequate.”]

It’s about time we got on with co-creating feminisms that welcome and support our trans* sisters, recognising the oppression of all women, and the additional oppression that trans* people face over cis-gendered people.

Karen McCallum

Zediah

Thank you so much for this. I’ve taken a lot of crap for being a genderqueer feminist and it’s nice to know that everyone isn’t opposed to that. I also worry a lot about one of my best friends because she is a trans*woman and I know that if something happens to her she can’t always get help because of that. It isn’t right.

Reblogged this on sisters of resistance and commented:
We are proud to present a collective statement that is, to our knowledge (and we would love to be wrong about this) the first of its kind. In this post you’ll find a statement of feminist solidarity with trans* rights, signed by nearly 100 feminists/womanists from at least eleven different countries [it’s now 664 individuals and 46 organizations — a total of 710! — from at least 30 countries] who wish to affirm that feminism/womanism can and should be a home for trans* people as well as cis. It has been signed by activists, bloggers, academics, and artists. What we all have in common is the conviction that feminism should welcome trans* people, and that trans* people are essential to feminism’s mission to advocate for women and other people oppressed, exploited, and otherwise marginalized by patriarchal and misogynistic systems and people.

Wonderful, plainly read words. Problem is few of the ones we want to think about and act, do not want to hear words other then their own. 😦 I don’t have all the fame of others, but as an MtF trans i would.

Koala

With my bad english and the help of google translate (“booo, shame on me”) i understand enough of this text for seeing that i want sign.
I’m Cassandra Cochin, aka Koala ([at]koala_puke on twitter), transfeminist, blogger, unemployed, french and tired because transphobic feminists

Brianna Isaacson

Julia Marie Nadeau (writer, poetess and artist)

As a transwoman, I have encountered resistance in the LGB community to the validity of my life’s journey and the struggles that I have endured. I have been seen as a transgressor of all things feminine, a poser and a misogynist in a feminist’s clothing. The biggest challenge for me has been which bathroom I am allowed to use. I had begun my transition on the job at Pizza Hut. I worked hard and performed my duties to the best of my ability, which, at first, were readily recognized. However, once I started transitioning from male to female, I quite suddenly found that I could do nothing right. My boss, who had previously heaped praises upon me for my strong work ethic and skill, now had sought for every excuse to get rid of me. The one thing she was insistent upon was that I was not allowed to use the women’s restroom. I had to use the men’s restroom and only the men’s restroom, even after I had calmly explained that my personal safety was at stake (indeed, the news was rife with stories of transwomen being assaulted and even murdered by men); she didn’t care. She even made the excuse that some of the customers had complained about my presence in the restrooms, when every woman I had encountered in there showed absolutely no discomfort at my presence; in fact, none had even observed that I was trans. My story, I admit, is relatively mild, even in the face of man’s oppression of women, but injustice is injustice, regardless of who if affected. I’ve known transpeople who have been bullied by feminists and thrown out of lesbian bars for no other reason that they were not physically born as women. I hate to see this, just as I hate to see ANYONE suffer.

Lisa

I am signing my name because I want my fellow women to know that I support and love them. Your journies are painful enough without the rest of the world marginalizing and abusing you. I support you and think you all are incredibly brave, beautiful and deserve nothing but love and respect. It will get better for all of us. We can’t give up.
In solidarity and love,
Lisa

Kris Anderson

We’re repeating here an explanation we just left on one of the update comment threads, in response to a question about how one signs one’s name to the Statement:

Thanks so much for your support! In addition to expressing support in the comments, anyone who would like to have their name added as a signatory the next time we do an update should just let us know (here or by email) the name you’d like us to use, and the identifying description to be put next to your name, as with the 850 individuals and organizations who are already signatories — e.g., student, professor, educator [with name of school if you’re able to mention it], writer or author, blogger, activist, artist, musician, psychologist or other medical professional, social worker, clergyperson, and so on, or any combination thereof!

I sent my co-sign in, but ! there are too many names to flip through without getting dizzy! So, just in case….
Signed,
Katie Klabusich (cis woman/trans* ally), reprojustice activist and writer at KatieSpeak

Rachel may

Thank you to the many women who have signed, you help validate our existence and inclusion in society. I have to say I have been extremely lucky with almost no discrimination shown towards me since transition and also enormous support from within my local cis gendered community, but I also know that is not always the case for many trans women or even trans men.
So once again thank you for this visible show of support, it really does make a difference when ever it is shown.
Rachel May